Abstract: A digital delay line includes a plurality of delay cells therein. The delay line is configured to delay a periodic signal received at a first input thereof by passing the periodic signal through a selected number of the plurality of delay cells, in response to a discontinuous thermometer code that encodes the selected number. A code converter is provided, which includes a group bit decoder, a shared bit decoder and a code output cell array, which are collectively configured to generate the discontinuous thermometer code in response to a binary control code.

Abstract: A non-volatile latch circuit includes a pair of cross-coupled inverters, a pair of resistance-based memory elements, and write circuitry configured to write data to the pair of resistance-based memory elements. The pair of resistance-based memory elements is isolated from the pair of cross-coupled inverters during a latching operation. A sensing circuit includes a first current path that includes a first resistance-based memory element and an output of the sensing circuit. The sensing circuit includes a second current path to reduce current flow through the first resistance-based memory element at a first operating point of the sensing circuit. The sensing circuit may also include an n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor to provide a step down supply voltage to the first current path.

Abstract: In a Spin Transfer Torque Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (STT-MRAM) a bit cell array can have a source line substantially parallel to a word line. The source line can be substantially perpendicular to bit lines. A source line control unit includes a common source line driver and a source line selector configured to select individual ones of the source lines. The source line driver and source line selector can be coupled in multiplexed relation. A bit line control unit includes a common bit line driver and a bit line selector in multiplexed relation. The bit line control unit includes a positive channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) element coupled between the common source line driver and bit line select lines and bit lines.

Abstract: A delay locked loop controls a plurality of delay blocks included in a delay line and thus generate a plurality of clock signals which have a frequency obtained by multiplying a frequency of a reference clock signal, an accurate phase delay, and a constant duty cycle. The delay locked loop calculates an initial delay value and applies it to the delay blocks, thereby preventing harmonic locking and reducing locking time.

Abstract: A 5 Transistor Static Random Access Memory (5T SRAM) is designed for reduced cell size and immunity to process variation. The 5T SRAM includes a storage element for storing data, wherein the storage element is coupled to a first voltage and a ground voltage. The storage element can include symmetrically sized cross-coupled inverters. A single access transistor controls read and write operations on the storage element. Control logic is configured to generate a value of the first voltage a write operation that is different from the value of the first voltage for a read operation.

Abstract: Provided are a delay locked loop (DLL) that may can be included in a data processing device and may include a duty correction circuit, and a duty correction method of such a DLL. The duty correction method includes aligning a second transition of an output clock at a first transition of a clock for duty correction, sampling the clock for duty correction at the first transition of the output clock to detect an error of a duty cycle, and performing duty correction using a skewed gate chain according to the detected error of a duty cycle.

Abstract: Systems and methods of resistance-based memory circuit parameter adjustment are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method of determining a set of parameters of a resistance-based memory circuit includes determining a range of sizes for a clamp transistor and selecting a set of clamp transistors having sizes within the determined range of sizes. For each clamp transistor in the set of clamp transistors, a simulation may be executed to generate a first contour graph representing current values over a range of statistical values. The first contour graph may be used to identify a read disturbance area and a design range of the gate voltage of the clamp transistor and a load of the clamp transistor. The method may execute a simulation to generate a second contour graph representing sense margin over a range of statistical values of the gate voltage of the clamp transistor and the load of the clamp transistor.

Abstract: A resistance-based memory with a reduced voltage I/O device is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a circuit includes a data path including a first resistive memory cell and a first load transistor. A reference path includes a second resistive memory cell and a second load transistor. The first load transistor and the second load transistor are input and output (I/O) transistors adapted to operate at a load supply voltage similar to a core supply voltage of a core transistor within the circuit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for designing process variation tolerant memory are disclosed. A memory circuit is divided into functional blocks. A statistical distribution is calculated for each of the functional blocks. Then, the distributions of each block are combined to verify a credibility of the circuit. The credibility is verified if the circuit meets a predetermined yield.

Abstract: A resistance based memory circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a first transistor load of a data cell and a bit line adapted to detect a first logic state. The bit line is coupled to the first transistor load and coupled to a data cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure. The bit line is adapted to detect data having a logic one value when the bit line has a first voltage value, and to detect data having a logic zero value when the bit line has a second voltage value. The circuit further includes a second transistor load of a reference cell. The second transistor load is coupled to the first transistor load, and the second transistor load has an associated reference voltage value. A characteristic of the first transistor load, such as transistor width, is adjustable to modify the first voltage value and the second voltage value without substantially changing the reference voltage value.

Abstract: A supply voltage is set for a memory device at a first supply voltage level. Test data is written to the memory device at the first supply voltage level in response to setting the supply voltage. The supply voltage is decreased for the memory device to a second supply voltage level below the first supply voltage level in response to writing the test data. The test data is read from the memory device at the second supply voltage level in response to decreasing the supply voltage. The supply voltage is increased for the memory device to a third supply voltage level above the second supply voltage level in response to reading the test data. The test data is read from the memory device at the third supply voltage level in response to increasing the supply voltage.

Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that estimates a total static noise margin of a bit cell of a memory. The method includes determining a correlation coefficient of a left static noise margin of the bit cell as compared to a right static noise margin of the bit cell and estimating a total static noise margin of the bit cell by evaluating an analytical function based on the correlation coefficient.

Abstract: A sensing circuit is disclosed. The sensing circuit includes a first path including a first resistive memory device and a second path including a reference resistive memory device. The first path is coupled to a first split path including a first load transistor and to a second split path including a second load transistor. The second path is coupled to a third split path including a third load transistor and to a fourth split path including a fourth load transistor.

Abstract: A device is disclosed that includes a first pin to supply power to a first power domain of an integrated circuit, a second pin to supply power to a second power domain of the integrated circuit, a switching regulator and a controller. The switching regulator is coupled to the first pin to provide a first regulated power supply to the first power domain and is coupled to the second pin to provide a second regulated power supply to the second power domain. The controller is coupled to the first pin and to the second pin to selectively reduce current flow to at least the second pin during a low power event.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlled value reference signals of resistance based memory circuits are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a circuit device is disclosed that includes a first input configured to receive a reference control signal. The circuit device also includes an output responsive to the first input to selectively provide a controlled value reference voltage to a sense amplifier coupled to a resistance based memory cell.

Abstract: A delay locked loop controls a plurality of delay blocks included in a delay line and thus generate a plurality of clock signals which have a frequency obtained by multiplying a frequency of a reference clock signal, an accurate phase delay, and a constant duty cycle. The delay locked loop calculates an initial delay value and applies it to the delay blocks, thereby preventing harmonic locking and reducing locking time.

Abstract: Systems, circuits and methods for determining read and write voltages for a given word line transistor in Spin Transfer Torque Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (STT-MRAM) are disclosed. A first voltage can be supplied to the write operations so that the write operations occur in the saturation region of the word line transistor. A second voltage, which is less than the first voltage, can be supplied for read operations so that the read operations occur in the linear region of the word line transistor.

Abstract: A memory device with configurable delay tracking is described. The memory device includes M normal word line drivers, a dummy word line driver a memory array, N sense amplifiers, and a timing control circuit. The memory array includes M rows and N columns of memory cells and a column of dummy cells. The word line drivers drive word lines for the rows of memory cells. The dummy word line driver drives a dummy word line for at least one dummy cell in the column of dummy cells. The timing control circuit generates enable signals having configurable delay, which may be obtained with an acceleration circuit that provides variable drive for a dummy bit line coupled to the column of memory cells. The sense amplifiers detect bit lines for the columns of memory cells based on the enable signals.

Abstract: A resistance based memory circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a first transistor load of a data cell and a bit line adapted to detect a first logic state. The bit line is coupled to the first transistor load and coupled to a data cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure. The bit line is adapted to detect data having a logic one value when the bit line has a first voltage value, and to detect data having a logic zero value when the bit line has a second voltage value. The circuit further includes a second transistor load of a reference cell. The second transistor load is coupled to the first transistor load, and the second transistor load has an associated reference voltage value. A characteristic of the first transistor load, such as transistor width, is adjustable to modify the first voltage value and the second voltage value without substantially changing the reference voltage value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for estimating the propagation delay along a logical signal path are described herein. The methods and apparatus account for the behavior of multi-stage logic gates along a signal path, initial input transition times, inter-stage fanouts, as well as different logic gate types. The methods and apparatus convert signal transition features into an effective fanout to provide estimates of gate delay dependencies on input slope and gate logic topology.